Dr. Karen Gaffney: First living person with Down syndrome to receive honorary doctorate

Karen Gaffney became the first living person with Down syndrome to ever receive an honorary doctorate from a college or university when she received one from the University of Portland on May 5, 2013. Karen is president of the Karen Gaffney Foundation and famous for her distance swimming exploits and public speaking. The University is incredibly proud to honor Karen and her incredible advocacy work that has inspired countless people worldwide and especially in our Portland community. To learn more about